UEFA Euro 2016
UEFA Euro 2016 (also known as Euro 2016) will be the 15th European Championship for Men's national football teams. It will take place in France from June 10 to July 10. The national championship will take place two months before the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since Germany were eliminated by France in the semifinals, the winner (Portugal) will represent the world at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia; as Germany already won the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Spain was the two-time defending champion but lost 2-0 to the Italy national football team in the round of 16 in a rematch of the UEFA Euro 2012 Final. Three years later, France will host the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, and in the same year as the World Cup in Russia; the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup. This tournament will expand the number of teams from 16 (used from 1996 to 2012) to 24, the same number of teams used within the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada. Season 5 UEFA Euro 2016 qualification will start in season 5; and will end after the first seven weeks of season 7. Despite the German team earning a Lap 218 drive-through-penalty on the last week of season 4, season 1 will start last. The order will be: season 2, season 4, season 3 and then season 1. The Israel-Belgium game was postponed from September to after 2015 Grand Prix of St Pete. A major upset in Matchday 1, two weeks before season 5 of BATC airs includes teams that failed to qualify for Brazil over the ones that qualified for the finals. This includes Albania over Portugal in Group I. Slovakia, who made history qualifying for their first World Cup in South Africa 2010, had a win over Euro 2012 hosts and 2006 quarter-finalists Ukraine. The 2014 World Cup debutante team was historically upset by the Cypriots, 2-1. Estonia's 1-0 win over Slovenia was another upset. Matchday 2 saw another upset, with Slovakia stunning 2010 World Cup winners Spain 2-1. The other upset went with Poland's 2-0 win over Germany, doing the same opponent as Serbia at the 2010 World Cup. October 2014 saw some major upsets. This included Slovakia's 2-1 over Spain, and Poland's first win over Germany. The Serbia-Albania match was abandoned. The biggest upset of Euro 2016 qualifying went to Faroe Islands' victory over Greece 1-0; the Greek odds were the favorites to win the matches. The Faroes upset the Greek odds again in June 2015, defeating them 2-1. Season 6 The Montenegro vs Russia game was delayed after Igor Akinfeev was hit by a flame; but was transferred to the hospital. The June 12-14, 2015 qualification games ran into the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada; with eight European women's national teams playing in the finals. The Faroes caused another hupe upset by defeating Greece again, and Greece will likely need to win more games than expected. Countries that failed to qualify for the Honda Indy Toronto qualifying third round include Germany, Slovakia and Brazil. Moments after the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final and the day before the first practice of the 2015 Milwaukee IndyFest, the Serbia national football team was eliminated from the final tournament after Albania got the 3-0 win. For the third consecutive tournament (Euro Cup or FIFA World Cup), Serbia didn't play in the final tournament; but Serbian failures to qualify continue through Euro 2012 and the real 2014 World Cup. Season 7 The pre-IndyCar 2015 race at Sonoma Euro 2016 qualifying resmues during the seventh season. Season 7 is the last for Euro qualifiers. In Group A, Turkey got revenge from their 2014 World Cup real qualification Group D by beating the Arjen Robben-less Netherlands 3-0; leaving Dutch chances slim. Had Turkey failed to qualify and Netherlands qualify instead, Combusken would have failed to qualify for the Race of the Stars in Colombia and Marshtomp would have qualified for the 2015 Race of the Stars. After the ending at Sonoma for the IndyCar series, Scyther and Feebas will both be present for the last matchups for the Euro qualifying; BATC opted both Pokemon to participate because of Justin Wilson's death. Both Pokemon will be checking September 20's birthdays list to see if Poland and Russia qualify or fail to qualify (fail if Montoya makes it and qualify if Colombia fails). Croatia's appeal was successful, meaning that Bulgaria's team had a little chance to qualify. Therefore Croatia took a point away; Norway and Italy's chances of making Euro 2016 were high. The October 10 today's birthdays were unsuccessful for most European countries that failed to qualify for Euro 2016. Netherlands' failure to qualify for the tournament on October 13 meant that BATC fans were shocked; after the team lost 3-2 to the Czech Republic, which already qualified for Euro 2016. It was one of the more successful not very effectives since the 2014 Indianapolis Grand Prix Road Course on the Germany today's birthday round on May 10. Since Sweden vs. Denmark's playoff are based on two Euro 2012 teams, one of them will qualify. The only team to have qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup that are participating in the playoffs are Bosnia-Herzegovina. The other seven (Ukraine, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Norway, Denmark and Slovenia) failed to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This will be Ukraine's third consecutive major tournament playoffs after 2010 and 2014 World Cups. This will be Hungary's best major tournament result since making the playoffs for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Ukraine and Sweden, who both made the 2014 World Cup playoff but FAILED to qualify, won their playoffs against Slovenia and Denmark respectively. Hungary won their playoff against Norway, sending Hungary to a Euro for the first time in 44 years, since 1972. Most of the BATC contestants weren't even born when Hungary played Euro 1972. Republic of Ireland won their second consecutive Euro playoff against 2014 World Cup participant Bosnia and Herzegovina, their second since 1988. The draw will be held the week after the 2015 Race of the Stars. Volcarona and the 42 season one contestants (including Froslass, Scyther, Sylveon, Sceptile and Azumarill) were excluded from participating in the Euro 2016 draw after a crash in go-karting in Colombia the previous week. Failed teams This is a complete list of teams that failed to qualify for Euro 2016. Only three teams from the 2014 World Cup, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Netherlands and Greece, failed to qualify for the Euro 2016 tournament in France. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (X) * (X) * * * Major Upsets This is the list of the 20 major upsets at Euro 2016 qualifying. Qualified teams The draw for the Euro 2016 qualifying was held on February 23, 2014, additionally on the same day as the closing ceremony of Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. With the expansion from 16 to 24 teams, there were more better chances for middle-ranked teams; similar to the Women's World Cup in Canada in 2015. Spain did not automatically qualify as the defending champs, and also the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, because only the hosts don't need qualifying; and therefore will play qualifying games, along with 2014 World Cup winners Germany. France is the only team to automatically qualify for the championships on May 28, 2010, two weeks before the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Greece failed to qualify for the first time since 2000. After Iceland came close to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, this will be Iceland's first major tournament. Netherlands will not be at a Euro for the first time since UEFA Euro 1984 after their loss against the Czech Republic and their first major tournament failure since 2002. The qualification tournament will not start until after the 2014 IndyCar season, ending August 30. Northern Ireland and Hungary return to majors for the first time since the 1986 World Cup. Sweden and Ukraine, who both came close to qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, qualified via playoffs. After losing to Sweden in the playoffs, 1992 Euro champions Denmark failed to qualify for the second succesive major tournament. Group matches Group A France, Switzerland, Albania, Romania. ;Results *France 2-1 Romania *Albania 0-1 Switzerland *France 2-0 Albania *Romania 1-1 Switzerland *France 0-0 Switzerland *Romania 0-1 Albania ;Notes *Albania met France in qualification for Euro 2016. *France beat Switzerland 5-2 in the 2014 World Cup group stages. They had also met at the 2006 World Cup, where Switzerland shocked eventual finalist France to a 0-0 draw. *The Xhaka brothers played in the same game; but Switzerland won 1-0. The score against Albania was expected to be at least 2-0 to Switzerland. *Romania is eliminated again in the Euros as Albania take a shock win with a goal in the first half of the match. *France had a 0-0 draw with Switzerland; the others came in the 2006 World Cup when France and Switzerland also drew 0-0. Group B England, Russia, Slovakia, Wales. ;Results *Wales 2-1 Slovakia *England 1-1 Russia *Russia 1-2 Slovakia *England 2-1 Wales *Slovakia 0-0 England *Russia 0-3 Wales ;Notes *Wales will play their first major tournament in more than 50 years when they open their Euro 2016 campaign against Slovakia; but the Wales team won 2-1. *England were about seconds away from victory against Russia but the Russians equalized in the last minutes. *England rallied back from a 1-0 deflict in halftime to win 2-1 against Wales. *England will meet Slovakia again in the 2018 World Cup qualification. *Russia's 3-0 loss to Wales is their heaviest since 2008; which had Russia lose two games by three goals. Group C 2014 World Cup winners Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Northern Ireland. ;Results *Poland 1-0 Northern Ireland *Germany 2-0 Ukraine *Ukraine 0-2 Northern Ireland *Germany 0-0 Poland *Northern Ireland 0-1 Germany *Ukraine 0-1 Poland ;Notes *Ukraine and Poland are scheduled to meet again in Euro 2016. Both hosts of Euro 2012 had also met at the 2014 World Cup qualification (real map). *Northern Ireland's first match against Poland is their first major tournament in 30 years. Both had qualified for the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. *Germany and Poland had previously met in qualification for Euro 2016, where Poland shocked World Cup winners Germany 2-0 and then Germany aimed to get revenge in the next game. The Germans successfully got revenge from their 2-0 loss to Poland. Both Germany and Poland were drawn together at the 2006 World Cup group stage. *Germany and Northern Ireland will meet again in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. *Northern Ireland's loss to Poland ended the team's streak of either wins or draws. *Ukraine has been eliminated following 2-0 losses to Germany and Northern Ireland. *Poland shocked Germany to a 0-0 draw. Group D Spain, Czech Republic, Croatia, Turkey. ;Results *Turkey 0-1 Croatia *Spain 1-0 Czech Republic *Czech Republic 2-2 Croatia *Spain 3-0 Turkey *Turkey 2-0 Czech Republic *Croatia 2-1 Spain ;Notes *Both Croatia and Turkey are scheduled to play in the same group. They had previously met at Euro 2008, where Turkey won on penalties in the quarterfinals. Both teams made their debut in the Euro in 1996; and Croatia won the 2016 game 1-0. *Defending champions Spain are scheduled to play the Czechs first and won 1-0. *Croatia will meet Turkey again in qualification for the 2018 World Cup. *Czech Republic rallied back from 0-2 down to make it 2-2 for them on Croatia. Group E Belgium, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Sweden. ;Results *Republic of Ireland 1-1 Sweden *Belgium 0-2 Italy *Italy 1-0 Sweden *Belgium 3-0 Republic of Ireland *Italy 0-1 Republic of Ireland *Belgium 1-0 Sweden ;Notes *All four qualified for the 1990, 1994 and 2002 World Cups. *Belgium's first Euro match since 2000 is against Italy; but they lost 2-0. *Republic of Ireland and Sweden were drawn in the same group for the 2014 World Cup qualification, but both of them failed to qualify. *Republic of Ireland had met Italy before, in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. *Since Italy beat Sweden, Italy qualifies for the knockout stages. Group F Portugal, Iceland, Austria, Hungary. The eventual champion Portugal comes from the group. ;Results *Portugal 1-1 Iceland *Austria 0-2 Hungary *Portugal 0-0 Austria *Iceland 1-1 Hungary *Iceland 2-1 Austria *Portugal 3-3 Hungary ;Notes *Iceland's first major tournament match opens against Portugal; but they shocked them with a draw. The expected result was a 3-0 win for Portugal. *Hungary's first major tournament match since 1986 is against Austria; and successfully beat them because one of the Austrian players were red carded. This will also be Hungary's first Major Euro since 1972, as most of the BATC contestants weren't born. *Portugal and Hungary had previously met at the 1966 World Cup, where both of them finished ahead of reigning World Champions Brazil. *Both matches of Group F held on June 18 were draws. *The eventual Euro champion Portugal and Hungary were held to an epic 3-3 draw. Knockout stages Round of 16 * def. 1-1 in penalty shots * def. 1-0 * def. 1-0 (a.e.t.) * def. 3-0 * def. 2-0 (in a rematch of the UEFA Euro 2012 final) * def. 4-0 * def. 2-1 * def. 2-1 Quarterfinals * def. 1-1 in penalty shots * def. 3-1 * def. 1-1 in penalty shots * def. 5-2 Semifinals * def. 2-0 * def. 2-0 Final * def. 1-0 (after extra time) Portugal qualifies for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup Trivia *Serbia was the first team eliminated from the tournament after limited chances of qualifying and negative points, and Albania got the win instead. This was Serbia's third consecutive major tournament fail after the real 2014 World Cup and Euro 2012. *Russia will have at least a suspension or disqualification due to rioting during the tournament. Category:2016 in sports Category:2016 in French sports Category:UEFA Euro tournaments Category:Europe Category:France